Arsenal come from behind to draw with Liverpool as Jurgen Klopp's men maintain unbeaten start to season, Sadio Mane thought he broke the deadlock in the first half but was called for offside as he tapped in a rebound and Arsenal's Alexander Lacazette then had his own effort ruled out for offside just before the half-time break. James Milner scored his third goal of the season and 50th in the Premier League as he gave Liverpool the lead before Lacazette then got his goal to cancel James Milmer goal. Arsenal 1-1 Liverpool.
For a title race in which 100 points may be the requirement to eclipse Manchester City, it was not a heaven-sent result. Yet there was a bigger story at play than mere win accumulation: the unmistakeable sense that Arsenal are back as a force in British football.
The notion was confirmed eight minutes from time when Alexandre Lacazette, a player at the hub of the nascent re-emergence of this club, span back away from the Liverpool goal with the ball at his feet, turned and unfurled a shot which arced into the far, right corner of the net. But it had been evident long since. The people knew. The stadium bounced: a phenomenon which has been as rare here as 82nd minute equalisers in recent years.
It helped that a little of the light was again dimmed in Liverpool, who allowed Arsenal 62 per cent of possession. The home side deconstructed that high intensity philosophy of Liverpool's, dominating a midfield where Jordan Henderson was sorely missed.
Alexandre Lacazette points to the sky after scoring a brilliant equaliser in Arsenal's clash with Liverpool on Saturday
Aaron Ramsey puts his arms up in celebration after Lacazette finds the back of the net for Arsenal on Saturday evening
Lacazette rounded Alisson in the Liverpool net before superbly curling home an equaliser for Arsenal
The French striker picked up a through ball before getting himself into a shooting position to score for Arsenal
Bernd Leno celebrates after Lacazette levels things up for Arsenal with under 10 minutes left to play at the Emirates
James Milner celebrates giving Liverpool the lead over Arsenal after the hosts failed to clear a cross into their box
The Liverpool captain managed to direct his shot past a few bodies and into the back of the Arsenal net
Milner picked up the loose ball in the middle of the box to thunder his shot home and give Liverpool a second-half lead
The English midfielder is congratulated by his Liverpool team-mates after giving them the lead at the Emirates
But there was an unmistakeable sense, all along, of the game's significance to Emery, as a yardstick of how far and how fast Arsenal are travelling. 'Now is the time for us to write new history,' he wrote in his programme notes... We want to create a new future here. We are at the beginning.' He did not add much in his faltering, almost unfathomable English, on Saturday night but the touchline told the story.
When Manchester City were in the stadium nearly three months ago, ruthlessly revealing the chasm in class that Emery was facing, the Spaniard looked a lost and listless soul, hands stuffed in pockets of tight blue suit.
This was a different story. He jumped, implored, exhorted and drew energy out of the stands. There seemed a significance to his triumphant punch after Granit Xhaka - bearing no comparison with the liability of years past - had raced back through 20 yards and slid into the bold penalty box tackle which dispossessed Mohamed Salah. It was the gesture of a coach who had known this kind of Xhaka was lurking somewhere, if he could only be located.
The Swiss had been the best player on the pitch at that stage - linking play in a side who flooded forward from deep with urgency, shipping the ball with purpose, pace and one touch. His foil was the quite brilliant enforcer Lucas Torreira, who won the ball back 10 times across the course of the game.
Arsenal still held the balance of power after half-time though Klopp's players took their chance and carved out a lead.
Andrew Robertson was the instigator, delivering short down the left for Mane whose speculative cross across the box was palmed out by Leno to James Milner. The midfielder struck the loose ball home, low and hard from just outside the area, helped by Holding unsighting Leno. Emery grimaced and with had good reason. There had been no need for Leno to divert a ball which posed minimal danger into a position where it did.
Arsenal were jolted and, briefly, fell apart. Van Dijk, maintaining his influence in both boxes, connected powerfully with a corner as the game entered its last 15 minutes, leaping, forcing the more instinctive goalkeeping from Leno, who turned the header over his bar.
In their previous incarnation, that would have been that for Arsenal. But Lacazette's denouement moment was yet to come. Alisson was fast off his line to close down the angle when substitute Alex Iwobi threaded the Frenchman in. Lacazette simply turned, shifted the ball from left foot to right, cast a glance up ahead and sent home his shot from that narrow angle. Emery rejoiced. The stadium rose as one to applaud his players from the field. Arsenal are back in business.
Both sets of players take part in a minute's silence for Leicester's late chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha and the four others who died in last Saturday's helicopter crash
James Milner's goal was his 50th goal
MATCH FACTS, PLAYER RATINGS
ARSENAL: (4-2-3-1) Leno 6.5; Bellerin 6.5, Holding 6, Mustafi 6, Kolasinac 6 (Welbeck 81 6); Torreira 6.5, Xhaka 6; Mkhitaryan 6.5 (Iwobi 68 6), Ozil 6.5, Aubameyang 7.5 (Ramsey 73 5); Lacazette 7
SUBS NOT USED: Cech (GK); Lichtsteiner, Maitland-Niles, Smith-Rowe
GOALS: Lacazette (82)
BOOKINGS: Lacazette (82)
COACH: Unai Emery 7
LIVERPOOL: (4-3-3) Alisson 6.5; Alexander-Arnold 6, Gomez 7, van Dijk 8, Robertson 7; Milner 7, Fabinho 5.5, Wijnaldum 6; Salah 6 (Matip 90+4), Firmino 6 (Shaqiri 80 6), Mane 6.5
SUBS NOT USED: Mignolet (GK); Sturridge, Moreno, Lallana, Origi
GOALS: Milner (62)
BOOKINGS: Fabinho (52)
COACH: Jurgen Klopp 7
REFEREE: Andre Marriner 6
MAN OF THE MATCH: Virgil Van Dijk
VENUE: Emirates Stadium
*Ratings done by Nick Callow
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